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First Time Published: The George Hendee You Never Knew George Hendee built Hilltop Farm and a 17-room Manor next door on 56 acres. Although he had no children, his niece and nephew, June and Fred Hale, lived one mile away in Agawam. He treated them like his children.  June was devoted to her uncle and his wife, her Aunt Edith - sister to June's father. Through the years, June compiled an extensive archive of photos, newspaper articles and other documents on the two, including marriage and death certificates, passports, their lineage, vacation postcards and speeches. Perhaps her most fascinating contribution was her 62 page, single-spaced, typewritten Personal Journal. Below are excerpts from the Journal. (When she mentions "Hilltop", she means the Manor.) The Friends of the Farm at Hilltop are indebted to Donald Cook, June’s son, who donated her extensive collection after she passed away at age 95 in August 2020.

June Hale with her Uncle George Hendee at the Hilltop Manor in 1927. The Manor was razed in 1961 after purchase by the Redemptorist Fathers.

“I played the piano often [late 1930’s] for Auntie and Uncle George. They always seemed to enjoy it. Uncle George was fond of all the old songs like Stephen Foster and also many hymns. Auntie saw to it that I had the latest sheet music…Some of the songs Auntie and Uncle George always asked me to play were When You and I were Young, Maggie, Jeanie with the Light-Brown Hair...”

"We always had a great time at Hilltop when Uncle George would request the ‘Laughing Song’ record be played on their electric phonograph...This record was nothing but a man laughing...Uncle George would sit with his hands folded across his great bulk and then the fun began. The point was to see how long each of us could keep from laughing. Watching Uncle George was hilarious! He was a large man of almost 300 lbs with this very large tummy. He would start out long before we did with just a tiny bit of movement in his large tummy area, but as the laughs became harder and harder, he would just not keep it in, and he was into some real big belly laughs. We had more fun watching him than trying to keep ourselves from laughing."

Hendee's Packard had an extra wide door according to the late Horace Sikes, a Suffield resident who had spent much of his childhood at Hilltop. He remembered Hendee returning home from work in the car.

"Uncle George had a dark gray custom-built Packard with luxurious soft leather upholstery that was made for his great size… There was a full back seat, the driver seat and a jump seat beside it that was my special place to be. In the early days their cars were a Pierce Arrow and a Rolls-Royce."

"I recall a few times when Auntie and Uncle George took our family, with Stebbins [the chauffeur] driving, to the beach at New London Connecticut... Uncle George loved to swim way out from shore and then float. We got a chuckle as all we could see was his ample rounded tummy. After a fun time, we would dine at the hotel at the beach." 

Hendee with Fred and June at a New London beach.

“As a child I do not recall that we ever had a Thanksgiving dinner at home but always at the home of Auntie and Uncle George. Dinners were always special there, but holidays more so as there were always special treats and decorations… Even on holidays with all of the abundance of food for the main course, we always began the meal with fresh fruit cup with sherbet and soup of some kind…Uncle George always treated himself ‘to the part that went over the fence last’ and boy did he relish this fatty morsel. Auntie tried to stop him by telling him it was not good for him, but he sat there with a big white napkin around his neck chewing away..Meals were never hurried affairs. One took their time with eating to enjoy, and for conversation.” [The Hendees employed cooks and butlers at the manor.]

June and a friend with Edith at the Monson lodge.

“Aunt Edith and Uncle George owned a wonderful Lodge in Monson, MA that covered many acres. The long driveway through the woods brought one to a cozy cottage that was where the caretaker resided during the summer season. Just beyond was a very large lake. At the time of purchase it was only a small pond, but Uncle George had it enlarged and stocked with trout for his guests and him to enjoy fishing… Of the many guests who visited their lodge, the most famous were President and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge.”

"Neither Auntie nor Uncle George seemed religious and I never knew them to attend church. However as they were playing cards at Hilltop on a Sunday afternoon their lovely summer home at Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire burned. After that Uncle George forbade card playing on Sundays."

"Every year Uncle George would have Stebbins purchase a goodly supply of fireworks to display in our yard on the night of the Fourth…Our neighbors would also be lined up on the street to observe the spectacle."

"They appeared to have a wonderful life together. They were always very loving and caring of each other. Uncle George was very busy building up Hilltop Manor and Hilltop Farm and pursuing his interest in the farm. He was very proud of his Guernsey cattle. He was very active in Melha Shrine and was instrumental in bringing the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children to Springfield… They had a busy social life entertaining such notables as Sir Harry Lauder, actresses Sylvia Sidney, Fay Bainter and actor Walter Connolly and President and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge. It was very special when I stayed overnight when they had special parties. I could look down on the guests dancing to a small orchestra in the Grand Hall [of the Manor] from the balcony. It was a beautiful sight seeing the lovely ladies in their elegant gowns."

Edith and George Hendee at Hilltop Manor.

The Friends of the Farm at Hilltop, Inc. PO Box 372 Suffield, CT 06078-0372 860-758-0668 ‌ ‌